ENERGY STAR Labeled Building Profile

In December 2007, the 27-year-old Carlisle County Courthouse was unexpectedly destroyed by fire. County officials and the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) pressed forward and formed a plan to rebuild the community landmark. The Kentucky General Assembly authorized the new facility to replace the courthouse and approved its funding in 2008. However, the project was placed on an expedited schedule due to the unforeseen circumstances.

The new Carlisle County Courthouse is an efficient, state-of-the-art facility where the County can carry out daily operations and citizens can seek access to justice. The building houses both Court operations and County offices, including space for Circuit Court, District Court, the Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Fiscal Courtroom, Sheriff?s office and 911 Center, as well as administrative areas for the Property Valuation Administrator (PVA) and clerks.

Careful consideration was taken during planning and design to ensure that the facility was effective, efficient, and served the end-users. The Judge?s chambers were arranged in suites with shared staff and conference space to allow for flexibility. In addition, the Court Clerk?s office was strategically positioned for ease of access to the community. This allowed for uninterrupted flow while providing vital service functions to the public.

The building?s exterior was designed to merge the distinct historical elements of the previous courthouse with an efficient, updated facade. These features brought the facility into the modern era and feature a columned porch, brick and stone cladding, and windows that identify with the scale and size of the original courthouse.

Infrared and proximity-sensing plumbing fixtures were employed in all public facilities to serve the dual-fold purpose of decreasing domestic water and electrical energy consumption and supporting public hygiene. Additionally, domestic water heaters were provided at each floor level to reduce the need for hot water recirculation and were fitted with energy management functionality to minimize standby losses.

A ground-source geothermal heat exchange HVAC paradigm gives the project a tremendously efficient mechanical system. This system harnesses the latent sustainability of a ground-coupled HVAC system in reducing both energy consumption and carbon-based emissions while providing individual zones with a high degree of comfort control, including simultaneous heating and cooling. The building is being managed by a Direct Digital Control (DDC) system that incorporates a significant number of energy management features within it to reduce unnecessary energy use and provide a valuable metric for trending/tracking the building's energy performance over time. The HVAC system employs variable-speed hydronic pumping and a VAV dedicated ventilation-air system with carbon dioxide demand ventilation control for additional energy savings.

High-efficiency T5 fluorescent lighting fixtures were carefully selected and incorporated to provide comfortable lighting levels in each space according to the functional task, with great care taken to avoid over-lighting the space. This was accomplished at lighting densities significantly lower than ASHRAE 90.1-prescribed maximum densities, thereby reducing the building's lighting energy consumption against the minimum baseline. Installed lighting fixtures were interfaced with an appropriate lighting control strategy suitable for the space and available natural light to allow for artificial lighting outputs to be reduced or eliminated when the individual space served is unused or appropriate natural lighting levels are available.

The Carlisle County Courthouse was completed on schedule, and as per the needs of the County. Serving as a milestone, the facility?s completion was a testament to the strength and determination of the community and its leaders. The Courthouse will serve as a visible representation of the stability and transparency of the local government, and will play a meaningful role historically, functionally, and symbolically for generations to come.

Photo Courtesy of Mr. Lance Dennee

Communications:

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Testimonial:

?Since the early days of the commonwealth, Kentucky courthouses have held a special place as the center of our communities?This new building replaces an important part of the community that was lost. I commend the people of Carlisle County for their patience during this transition and I appreciate the county leaders and state legislators who joined the Judicial Branch in making this project a reality.?

Please note: Narrative information in this profile has been provided by Carlisle County Fiscal Court or a representative of this facility. Other building information was verified and submitted to EPA at the time of application. Building energy performance, operating characteristics, and ownership/management may be subject to change over time.